


Wherein Jim attains a low-level certification in ship mechanics

by kayliemalinza



Series: Rambleverse [11]
Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Kayliemalinza's Rambleverse, Pre-Academy Years (Rambleverse Timeline)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-08
Updated: 2011-07-08
Packaged: 2017-11-03 15:30:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/382987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayliemalinza/pseuds/kayliemalinza





	Wherein Jim attains a low-level certification in ship mechanics

See, a while back Winona had called Jim up, totally geeking out about this new drive system that was being incorporated into the lastest model of ships. The new drive systems apparently had all sorts of revolutionary thingamabobs and nil-waste capacitor whatchamacallits and cross-flexor whatsits and other things that Jim did not recognize because, unlike his mother, he does not spend 60% of his day elbow-deep in ship guts. And he doesn't particularly want to, either, which is probably why Winona whined "Don't make that face!" at him after she super-casually mentioned that the shipyard was looking to train a few temp workers.

"I don't want to work at the shipyard," Jim had said, and Winona had replied that she'd be working there if she could, but she was stuck out here on an antique so he needed to be her inside man and give her all the details on how shiny everything was. Jim squinted at her flickery face on the screen, then, because while he had absolute faith in his mother's gearheaded grabby-hands, he also knew that Uncle Frank had told her about Jim dropping out of college and so there was a pretty good chance that Winona was working with ulterior motives. Those motives were totally uncalled for, by the way. Uncle Frank never finished college, either, and he was doing just fine for himself, so obviously Jim still had options and besides, he was keeping himself plenty busy. He didn't particularly want to get into the details of his business, but luckily he didn't need to because Winona cut the conversation short by bribing him with a motorcycle.

So that's how Jim ended up wearing manky coveralls and following around some high-ranking engineer named Fleischer. She'd requested him specifically because his lips were so big, and Jim spent a full three hours thinking that was some weird understated come-on. Fleischer also kept snapping her fingers in his face and yelling "Look at me!" every time she asked him a question. Jim would dutifully look, but honestly, though some people might like their women grunged-up, Jim prefers the elegant type. Still, he's totally on board with the whole bossy-boots affectation, so he was totally willing to give a it a go once the shift was over. After all, Fleischer could be totally va-va-voom under those baggy coveralls, though he would appreciate if she laughed at his jokes at least once.

But then Fleischer flicked him on the ear (so rude!) and explained that the equipment caused major interference with her hearing aid, so she'd turned it off, and she cannot lip-read the back of his big stupid head.

Jim complained about this to his mom (Fleischer didn't have to be so mean about it) but Winona just laughed, "That sounds like her, all right" and got this wistful look on her face that Jim really didn't want to investigate. So he changed the subject, sucked it up, and was Fleischer's dutiful grease-monkey/hunchbacked-lab-assistant for the next two months. The pay was awesome and he enjoyed the work (though he'd never admit that to his mom) but the most important thing is that Winona came through on the motorcycle, and that bike was totally sweet. It got even better after Fleischer helped him make a few modifications to the engine, but Jim's pretty sure those modifications are illegal in most states so he keeps quiet about that.

So Jim comes into the Academy with a certification that most of the cadets don't have. He's hoping to reveal it at some dramatic moment, like when Cadet Noname Uhura is frustrated with a recalcitrant spanner and he can swoop in, all heroic and handsome, with a toolbelt slung low on his hips and a worklight positioned just behind him, making him all glowy on the edges. 

He'll calmly offer to help and she'll be all aflutter with relief--wait, no, she's feisty, so she'll probably be more like "I can do it myself, grr, no I can't, I hate you yet find myself strangely attracted to you" (except with more big words, because she seems like that kind of girl) and Jim will reply, "There's nothing strange about that, sweetheart" and then.... 

Jim hasn't worked out the next bit of dialogue yet, but the important thing is that at some point he ends up curling his strong, manly hand over her dainty little girl-fingers and it's totally like that scene with Han and Leia in Star Wars, except it doesn't take them two more movies to have sex and no-one makes out with their brother. 

Jim has mentioned the trilogy to Cadet Noname, super casual-like, just to check that she's digging the loveable rogue angle and doesn't prefer the earnest farm-boy hero type (because if she does prefer that, he can switch tactics on a dime. He's driven past real fields and everything) but the lovely Ms. Noname just blinked at him and said, "What's Star Wars?" 

Jim's crush almost imploded right there until he realized that Noname was probably telling hurtful lies to drive him away because she's frightened of the intensity of her feelings for him. Jim gets that a lot.


End file.
